Links
Some of the factors that are found in depression--including low mood, anxiety, poor sleep and reduced appetite--are also affected by alcohol. Stressful events have been known to result in drinking problems and depression. Child neglect and poor parenting have been linked to alcoholism. These problems may also increase the risk of developing depression for parents and children. Genetic links are found in people with alcohol problems and depression. Alcoholics and patients with depression have been found to have family histories of both problems.
Increased Risk
Drinking too much may be a cause of depression, according to a study reported in the March 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, a publication from the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers used data from a 25-year study on health in New Zealand. Researchers from the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the University of Otago in Christchurch examinrd a sample of 1,055 people born in 1977. They looked at conditions and asked questions about lifestyles and demographic factors at various ages up to 25. They found that alcohol abuse or dependence was associated with an increased risk of major depression at all ages. Those who abused alcohol or were dependent on it were nearly two times more likely to suffer from major depression.
Previous research has shown a link between alcohol abuse and depression, but there is a debate as to whether alcohol abuse causes depression or depression leads to alcohol abuse. This study is a major finding that alcohol causes depression, according to ConsumerAffairs.com, an online consumer news and resource center.
Cycle
Many researchers believe there is a connection between people who have alcohol problems and the incidence of committing self-harm or suicide. It is thought that there are people who regularly drink too much or binge drink, which makes them feel depressed. There are also those who drink to relieve their anxiety or depression. Either way, alcohol has an overwhelming effect on the cycle of depression, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, a professional and educational body for psychiatrists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Alcohol can affect the chemistry of the brain and increase the risk of depression, the group notes. Drinking that leads to hangovers can create a cycle of feeling ill, anxious and guilty. Problem drinking then becomes depressing following arguments with family or friends, problems in the workplace and sexual problems.
